SAGE Working Group on hepatitis A vaccine (March 2010 to July 2012)

Terms of Reference

The Working Group will be asked to review the evidence with respect to the following questions/issues and to propose to SAGE recommendations, including the need to update recommendations stated in the current (2000) hepatitis A vaccine position paper:

Review data regarding the global prevalence and burden of disease caused by hepatitis A virus infection.

Review position paper recommendations regarding when countries should consider introduction of hepatitis A vaccine.

Review issues related to establishment of regional or global hepatitis A control goals.

Outline aspects of a comprehensive strategy for hepatitis A control.

Review issues related to hepatitis A surveillance

Identify additional critical issues that need to be considered in updating, referencing and providing evidence grading for the current hepatitis A vaccine position paper.

Composition

SAGE Members

Art Reingold, Chair. University of California, United States of America

Xiaofeng Liang, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China

Experts

Jeffrey Mphahlele, University of Limpopo, South Africa

John W. Ward, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA

Marta Vacchino, National Institute of Epidemiology, Argentina

Andrew Hall, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

Daniel Shouval, Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Israel

WHO Secretariat

Steven Wiersma

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS FOR WHO EXPERTS

All members completed a declaration of interest. Only one member reported any direct interests and these interests were assessed as not relevant to the work of the Working Group.

Professor Jeffrey Mphahlele:

• His Centre receives funding from Sanofi Pasteur and Biovac SA Pty for maintenance of its website.